Order capture

A store associate can use the Order Capture feature in the Sterling Store Engagement application to find products for a customer, choose appropriate fulfillment options, add the products to the cart, and capture payments by using a mobile device or a desktop computer.

In stores, customers often want to purchase products in a different size, color, or other types of variations. Sometimes, a customer might come in with an idea of a product, but not the specific name or brand.

By using the Order Capture feature in Sterling Store Engagement, a store associate has all product information on a mobile or desktop device. The catalog can be searched by keywords or by scanning a barcode of a product. If customers do not know the specific product that they want to purchase, a store associate can search the product catalog based on keywords to find suitable products to suggest to the customer. A store associate can also scan a product in the store to find more information such as whether the product is available in a different variations, availability, the supported delivery methods, and so on. If the customer wants a product that is not available in the store, the store associate can check if the product is available to ship or to pick up from another store.

A store associate can also capture an order that has products with multiple fulfillment types. For example, a customer wants to purchase a T-shirt from a store along with a camera, which is out-of-stock in the current store. However, the camera is available at a store 8 miles away. The store associate can create an order with both the products and select the fulfillment type for each product. The customer pays for both the T-shirt and the camera, carries the t-shirt from the current store, and drives to the other store to collect the camera. In such scenarios, the store associate can use the application to create an order for the customer and choose whichever fulfillment option is best, either carry from the store, ship to home, or pick up at an alternate store.

While a store associate is capturing an order, there is an opportunity to cross-sell or up-sell products to the customer. When the store associate finds a product and views the details, the related products can also be viewed alongside the current product. These products can be suggested in addition to the current product. Additionally, the product details can also be shared with the customer through emails.

In addition to finding products, the store associates on the floor can help cashiers in the check-out process. The customer can bring products to a store associate to purchase in-store and carry out with them. The application can be used on a mobile device, so the store associate can walk through the line and aid cashiers in the checkout process. If the check-out line is long, the store associate can walk through the line with a mobile device and perform a Check Out. The store associate scans a customer's products, and captures payment from the customer using a mobile device. Using the Check Out feature is helpful to cashiers, especially during peak shopping days when checkout lines can be long.

The store associate can view the order by using the Mini Cart. The Mini Cart displays each product that has been added to the order. The store associate can remove products from the order in the Mini Cart.

The store associate can make a single product or an entire order as a gift. For example, a mother walks into the store and wants to gift a blanket to her daughter for the winter. The mother has multiple products in her cart and wants to carry all except the blanket out of the store. In such scenarios, the store associate can use the application to make the blanket as a gift and type a personalized message with the recipient's name while capturing the order. The payment can be collected on the spot and the product can be shipped as a gift to the appropriate address. Similarly, an entire order can be marked as a gift and mailed to a recipient. The store associate can use the application to mark the entire order as a gift, add the recipient's name and a personalized message, and then capture payment from the customer. When the store associate marks a product or an order as a gift, if configured, the store associate can also give the customer the option to have the products gift wrapped. The product or order that is marked as a gift is then gift wrapped before the product or order is sent to the recipient.

A store associate can discount the price of a product by applying a coupon or overriding the price, if it is necessary.

If an item is being shipped to the customer, the store associate can choose a carrier for the order, if configured. The carrier options are displayed, with the estimated shipping time and the prices for each option.

After all products are added to the order and the necessary modifications are made, the store associate can proceed to checkout and collect the payment from the customer. If the customer has an account with the store, the account can be searched. If not, the customer can complete the order without creating an account. The customer can put in a billing and a shipping address, or have the same address used for both. Additional addresses can be added for gift items. After the payment is processed, the store associate can use the order summary to confirm the order details with the customer. The order summary provides comprehensive details which include the products in the order, fulfillment options chosen, order totals, taxes applicable, and so on. Lastly, the store associate can print an order receipt for the customer, as an acknowledgment of the purchase.